LET IT GO

READ: Matthew 19:16-26

ANSWER THIS: What are you holding against someone, that might be hurting you more than them?

THE BREAKDOWN

Jesus is about to leave for Jerusalem, when a man desperately runs up to him, kneels, and asks, “What good deed must I do to have eternal life?”

First, Jesus responds, “Why ask me about what is good? There is only One who is good.” Jesus is laying the groundwork to help the man understand that if God is the standard for “good,” then we’ll never be good enough to earn eternal life.

Jesus then lists six of the ten commandments God gave the Jews, as recorded in the Old Testament (see Exodus 20:1-17), suggesting that if the man can just obey these six, he’ll have eternal life. The man responds he has obeyed them. However, no person could honestly claim they’ve consistently obeyed all six, from their youth to adulthood. But, Jesus isn’t going to argue the point. He’s more concerned about something else.

He tells the man if he’s serious, then he must sell everything he owns, give the money to the poor, and follow him. Upon hearing this, the man is speechless and goes away sad. He just can’t let go of his money.

Jesus then turns to his disciples and makes the shocking statement that it’s harder for a rich person to enter Heaven than it is for a camel to go through the eye of a needle. Not surprisingly, the disciples ask: Who could possibly be saved, then?

Jesus agrees it’s humanly impossible. Then he makes a statement so full of hope, that Christians have recited it for centuries:

“With God, everything’s possible.”

SOMETHING TO THINK ABOUT

Jesus’ primary concern is with our hearts. One time, he cautioned a crowd, “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” (see Matthew 6:21) In other words, what we cling to most in life will affect our hearts, in good or bad ways.

Wealth isn’t bad, in and of itself. But, if we cling to money (or anything else, for that matter) so much that we aren’t willing to let go of it in response to Jesus’ invitation to follow him, then we risk missing out on something much better.

Corrie Ten Boom, a Nazi concentration camp survivor from World War II, didn’t struggle with wealth. Rather, she had difficulty letting go of her hatred toward her former captors. Later in her life, she spoke these words of caution: “Hold everything in your hands lightly, otherwise it hurts when God pries your fingers open.”

WHAT DOES THAT MEAN FOR ME?

What is it that keeps you from responding to Jesus’ invitation? Are you afraid he’s going to ask you to give up your nice things? Or, maybe there’s someone you need to forgive, but you feel like you just can’t because there’s too much anger inside you. What are you holding on to that’s keeping you from following Jesus? Right now, it might seem too hard to let go. But, remember, “With God, everything’s possible.”

PRAYER

“Lord, show me what I’m holding on to so tightly that it’s keeping me from experiencing the better life You want for me. It’s really hard to let go completely and follow You. I need Your help, even if that means prying my fingers open.”